The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-20
I v.

DOES NEWARK SOMETIMES DRINK SEWAGE?
Well, admit that she does, what Of it 2 Is
1t dangerous2 The water looks good, tastes
good. I've been drinking the water over since
1t was introduced and I'm all right"
80 said an old Newarker the other day He
is one OF that class who think that the present
supply is good enough, and stands ready to
oppose any scheme to spend money for a new
supply. If drink Newark or Jersey City wa
ter Is to drink sewage. then to drink sewage is
certainly not always unpleasant. The water
at its worst gushes out Of the city faucets rea-
sonably clear There Is undoubtedly an earthly,
peaty or vegetable taste or smell to 1t at times,
but few go 30 far as to declare that there has
ever been sewage taste to the water drawn
from the city faucets. II there was, tho hopes
OF many citizens in Newark for a now water
supply would certainly be easier fulfilled For
water to look pure is for 1t to be pure to very
many people. They nestle complacently in
the opinion that even II Paterson. Passaic. and
Newark sewage lie pouring in at the intake, it is
oil right by tho time it is pumped up 1877 feet
and run $4,000 feet into the city reservoir.
There is a belief prevailing extensively
among chemical and medical experts that u
water supply should DO uncontaminated by
sewage; that there is no safety in middle
course; that it is not safe to trust to dilution.
storage. agitation. filtration. or anything out
side OF long and natural process for com
blete removal Of disease. producing elements.
chemist OF the Bonrd Of POI luton. says that
the great danger from drinking Passac water
Is not in the possible poison In the sewage that
contamina tes it. but in tho tendency such water
has to nourish dangerous germs. In pure water
many bacteria, which would be dangerous to
introduce alive into the system. would die for
want OF proper nourishment A large per-
centaRe OF ORGANIC matter, whilo not perhaps
poison GUS in itself. gives dangerous parasites
Most Of my analyses" said Prot Austen.
show that water taken from Newark faucets
composition. just now IT is. perhaps; only
shade off from good drinking water, and it may
not DC POSSIBLE to trace single fase Of sick e.
action OF the heart. and If the swallows are re-
pented too often and for some time the, heart
two of water containing an excess Of the evil
dences OF the. presence Of organic matter in
ns S IS sssn day ay hurt
year after year he will wonder, perhaps how
his kidneys, liver; or other organs became dis
above .0l 3 in 100000, parts. look out. But. per-
haps, still greater danger is from epidemics:
An sDNSsm in Ss W9u Id
Passaic River is freighted with food for disease
germs. The fact that the water Is so much
intakes shows that much of the suspended
matter must have caught In the pipes and
ae nd made fba
propagation OF cholera admitted by all au-
thorities is that when It spreads abroad tho
vehicle of its transmission is the discharges
from persons already affected. and that from
these the cholera-affecting matter is apt to
contaminate water. and thus find way into
the bodies OF healthy persons. and that the
presence OF decomposing organic matter az
fords conditions favorable to the multiplied
ton OF cholera germs. though Of itself inca
pabe Of originating it.
There are some drawbacks. therefore. in
making a practice OF drinking water contain
comes up. Is Newark and Jersey City water SO
contaminated?